Prehistory has produced evidence for two meaningful regularities in human evolution: tool making and the collection and use of ochre. Tools and tool making have been acknowledged as fossil indicators of human skill, mental capacities, and social and cultural development.
The effects of weather variables on the transmission of vector-borne diseases are complex. Relationships can be non-linear, specific to particular geographic locations, and involve long lag times between predictors and outbreaks of disease. This study expands the geographical and temporal range of previous studies in Bangladesh of the mosquito-transmitted viral infection dengue, a major threat to human public health in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. The analysis incorporates new compound variables such as anomalous events, running averages, consecutive days of particular weather characteristics, seasonal variables based on the traditional Bangla six-season annual calendar, and lag times of up to one year in predicting either the existence or the magnitude of each dengue epidemic. The study takes a novel, comprehensive data mining approach to show that different variables optimally predict the occurrence and extent of an outbreak. The best predictors of an outbreak are the number of rainy days in the preceding two months and the average daily minimum temperature one month prior to the outbreak, while the best predictor of the number of clinical cases is the average humidity six months prior to the month of outbreak. The magnitude of relationships between humidity 6, 7 and 8 months prior to the outbreak suggests the relationship is multifactorial, not due solely to the cyclical nature of prevailing weather conditions but likely due also to the immunocompetence of human hosts.
First Nation (Indigenous) on-reserve housing in Canada is in crisis due to severe shortages, high reported instances of mould contamination, overcrowding and structural deficiencies. The Kitamaat reserve of the Haisla First Nation provides one example. The intent of the study reported here was to engage with the Haisla to develop a culturally appropriate, environmentally responsive and energy-efficient housing type that the Haisla could implement in the future. This work was undertaken by Marceau-EvansJohnson Architects in collaboration with researchers at the University of Victoria. In this article, the circumstances leading to the present housing crisis are reviewed, the consultative design process with the Haisla and its outcomes are described, and the concept design solution which was co-developed for future housing is presented.
Recognizing that older adults are among the biggest consumers of medication, and the demographic group most likely to suffer an adverse drug reaction (ADR), this paper details the findings from a recent study on how older adults come to understand medication and its related use. Using a qualitative content analysis method, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 individuals from British Columbia, Canada. Study participants ranged in age from 65 to 89 years (male=9, female=11). Using NVIVO® 7 software, data were subjected to comparative thematic content analysis in an effort to capture the role of medication use in the context of everyday living as understood by older adults. While there was variability in how older adults come to understand their medication use, an overarching theme was revealed whereby most participants identified their prescription medications as being life-sustaining and prolonging. Deeper thematic content analysis of participant narratives drew attention to three key areas: (A) medications are viewed as a necessary, often unquestioned, aspect of day-to-day life (B) a relationship is perceived to exist between the amount of medications taken and ones current state of health (C) the overall medication experience is positively or negatively influenced by the doctor patient relationship and the assumption that it is the physicians role to communicate medication information that will support everyday living. The article concludes that medical authority and the complexities surrounding medication use need to undergo significant revision if community dwelling older adults are to experience greater success in safely managing their health and medication-related needs.
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